January 14, 2007 - Niagara 80 Rider 79
January 14, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men's College Basketball
Niagara University 80, Rider University 79
LAWRENCEVILLE--Despite a career-high 31 points by junior Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape), the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to Niagara Sunday afternoon. “I thought we played a good basketball game, both teams did, but I’m disappointed in that we were in control for most of the game and we let one get away from us today,” said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey.
Three Purple Eagles scored over 20 points, including freshman Tyrone Lewis with 23 points off the bench, to lead Niagara (9-9, 4-3 MAAC) to its fifth victory in the last seven games.
Trailing 76-75, Niagara made five of six foul shots in the final 1:23, including two by senior guard Lorenzo Miles with 9.5 second left, to take an 80-76 lead. “They made a couple more plays then we did when the game was on the line,” said Dempsey.
Niagara senior forward Clif Brown scored a lay-up with 1:50 left to give the Purple Eagles a 75-74 lead, their first lead since 2-0. Brown finished with 21 points.
Rider (10-7, 4-3 MAAC) led 68-59 with 7:30 remaining before Niagara went on an 11-2 run, five points by Lewis, to tie the score at 70-70 with 3:06 left to play. “Niagara played extremely poised down the stretch and they got some easy baskets when the game was on the line,” said Dempsey.
Thompson made all eight of his foul shots and compiled nine rebounds for the game, and scored 20 points in the first half. “We pretty much took it to them early,” said Thompson. “I was getting some transition baskets. Late in the game they were clogging the lane and made it tougher for me to score.” Thompson made a three-point field goal at the buzzer for the final score.
“We were concentrating on Jason, trying to go at him and get him in foul trouble,” said Niagara head coach Joe Mihalich. “Offensively, he made plenty of big plays for Rider.” Thompson picked up his fourth foul with 4:53 left.
Senior Terrance Mouton (Lafayette, LA/Acadiana) added 15 points for Rider. “When Jason is in foul trouble I feel I have to step up my scoring,” Mouton said. “It was a physical game out there by both teams.”
After Niagara scored the game’s opening basket, Rider scored the next 14 points, eight by Thompson. “We got off to a nice start,” Dempsey said. “We came out ready to play.”
Trailing 14-2, Niagara made four three-pointers over the next 4:20, three by Brown, to cut the lead to 20-16 with 11:00 left in the first half. Niagara made nine of 19 three-pointers for the game.
Rider led 42-34 at half time, and led 45-34 before Niagara went on a 10-2 run, five points by junior forward Charron Fisher, to cut the lead to 47-44 with 16:00 remaining. Fisher finished with 22 points.
The game was a homecoming for Lewis, who played his high school ball at Truman High in Levittown, PA, just 20 miles across the Delaware River from Rider. “Tyrone wasn’t going to let his team lose in front of his family and friends today,” said Mihalich.
Niagara was picked to finish second in the MAAC this year, while Rider was picked to finish seventh. “They are one of the top teams in this league, but there are no moral victories at this point,” said Dempsey. “We already felt that we can compete with anyone in this league if we play well. This was an opportunity to get to 5-2 in the league.”
Freshman Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Broncs, and Rider sophomore Harris Mansell (Cheltenham, PA) compiled nine points for the Broncs.
Rider travels to Manhattan Thursday. “Now we have to try to steal one on the road,” Dempsey said. “Manhattan plays well in their Draddy Gym.”
-RU-
